Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Strip Twisting in Abilene, Group #2!

It made me ALMOST want to do something fiber-arty with them….but nahhhhh! LOL!

We had a great group of ladies yesterday – some from as far away as Utopia ---doesn’t Utopia sound like a wonderful place to live?

And I have to tell you this funny story ---because it’s happened to me. I’ve gone off and brought my machine, leaving a crucial bit behind…..

One time I showed up to teach at a state wide event to do a demo. The last thing I had done was put on a binding. So I arrived --- -with my WALKING FOOT on the machine, my 1/4” foot at home. It happens.

And as it happens, our sweet gal brought her machine, but left her cord plugged into the wall at home ---no cord, no power.

And she was going to be happy to “just be here and work on hexies” …….

Fast forward about 20 minutes and as I’m walking around the room I talk to another gal about her featherweight:

We have a white featherweight in common, and I always like to know how folks acquired theirs. This sweet woman starts telling me that she had a dream last night that her white featherweight died in the middle of class. So when she got up in the morning she put her “spare” black machine in the car JUST IN CASE.

And just that fast – I told her about our other student who wasn’t sewing by machine because she had no cord……and with in 20 minutes that second featherweight was being loaned to Miss Cordless, and all was well with the world!

You might think this is an unusual scenario, but what made it even more fun --- I was telling Miss Cordless to just hang on, someone would have a second machine for her, and she looked at me like I had two heads ----Who would bring a spare machine to a class?

LOTS OF US! Hahahaha!

And it was neat ---because this was the first time she had ever sewn on a featherweight, and I bet she is the owner of one within a short span of time after how much fun she had yesterday. It was good ALL AROUND!!

Here’s our slide show! these gals were Quilting Divas! SO much progress made in a one day class.

At the back end of the slide show you will see some photos during show and tell at the guild meeting last night as well. We had a great group of visitors and filled that room!

Click the image below if you can’t view the slideshow on your mobile device.

14 comments:

Someday, Bonnie, I'll manage a class with you but today, I can appreciate the two machine lady. I got back from central Wisconsin yesterday where I spent a long weekend at my brothers' place. I took my "new" White quilters dream machine, having just got a cord and feet for it. I had not sewn on it but when I did, the tension was off. I fiddled and fussed with it and finally got it to acceptable. The moral of the story though is that through the whole mess, I kept wishing I'd brought the featherweight too...I ended up just straight stitching the whole weekend and we all know that the FW would have breezed right through that.Anyway, I'm glad you're headed home. I love the pictures and the stories and this time, I'm happy you're heading home because I have a book order waiting for you to fill. :-)Anna in IL

I read in a quilting book once that a person with scraps like that at the end of a "use it up" type challange put the scraps on a piece of fabric loosely then put net over the block and sewed over the net to hold the pieces. She used the block in the challange. I thought that was interesting.

LOL well I can appreciate taking an extra machine. My sister and I took Bonnie's class in Bedford PA in July. Another Lady plugged in her machine and it started to smoke and "run" without the pedal being pushed. This poor lady was not able to sew with her machine. So I said well dear I have an extra machine in the car and you are welcome to use it. She was shocked and said who brings an Extra. I said me i don't want to miss class because of any machine issues. So after a brief set up and quick "tutorial" she was off and sewing. I am so glad that I could help. I was then nick named "lady in blue"

Good Morning Bonnie,I'm one of those quilter's that always brings a "backup" machine to retreats and classes. There have been quite a few times someone has left a cord or foot pedal behind and I've been able to help out. I think quilter's are the greatest when it come to sharing if someone is in need (like extra needles, lights, rotary blades, etc.).Have a good trip home.

I have taken to taking two spares with me to retreats! It just seems like good planning.

I have leant a spare to someone else, but apparently I do have my limits. One lady had brought a brand new sewing machine to retreat, it had never been been out of the box. I watched as she struggled with the machine and didn't like the way she treated it. I didn't lend her the spare I had with me that time.

Which reminds me, I do need to get a quarter inch foot for the spare spare!

My Mom did this once, left the cord at home, a couple of years ago I had a spare machine and was able to loan it out to my friend whose machine died during retreat. Since it was a 4 day retreat that would have been a terrible waste to not sew.

For the tiny scraps, one of my LQS saves them as a quilter makes dog beds for the animal shleter dogs and the tiny scraps are used to stuff the beds. That is an idea for your students.

That was very nice of the quilter to loan her spare machine, I think I would have just wound the wheel by hand, slower but would work too, if no spare on offer of course :) The slide show was great, what a display of inspiration for colour combinations, may take another look if I need inspiration any time. Thanks for sharing and beautiful work ladies. Julie (Aus)

I went to a retreat in January with my Featherweight and was unpacking it when the cord and foot pedal were no where to be found in the case! I remembered to unplug it and tidy up the cord, but got distracted and forgot to put in it the box! God is good, He had the gal behind be bring both of hers and she loaned me her foot pedal for the whole weekend! Now, I just do not unpack the FW at home and it is always all there for going bye-bye!

I just got my featherweight this past Saturday. First of all, I thought the man was going to back out of selling it before I could leave. He said, "let ,e plug it in so you can give it a try." He sat in the chair and sewed and wouldn't even let me try it.Tonight was a quilting class that I teach at my church. Since I never get to actually sew, there is a lady who always uses my machine. I brought the featherweight!It's so nice to share.